A Dusty Rose
by kryscrossed
Summary: A young girl is forced to shape her own life, when she's suddenly forced into a life on the streets with no money, with some help from a few friends, and some twists along the way, she finds her place in life.
1. Prologue

_A Dusty Rose_

Prologue

Margaret Benson sat in her dingy room, exhausted after a long labor. This was not how she planned her life. She had a baby lying by her side, and no husband to help her care for it. George had walked out on them only a week ago. Then this baby. Margaret reached up and used her bedsheet to wipe the tears from her eyes. The small baby girl, who had been born to early. The midwife had told her she had never seen a baby this little survive before.

Margaret took a deep breath. "Not my baby. Not my little Leah Marie." She held the precious girl closer to her chest. "You don't have to worry little one. I'll take care you, no matter what." She sniffed, and squared her shoulders.

George had been a drinker. He had once been a kind and wonderful man, and she had fallen in love with him. He had been handsome, tall and dark with chocolate brown eyes, and wavy brown hair, his features chisled and perfect. Margaret had fallen hard for him. She was beautiful herself, with long blonde hair, and blue eyes, set into a doll-like face. They had gotten married after only a month, and it had been a whirlwind of love at first. That was until George had lost his job at the factory. He had turned to drinking then letting the whiskey wash away the guilt he had for not being able to take care of his wife. Slowly but surely he started to change. Guilt turned to anger. Anger at the factory, anger at himself, and finally, anger at his wife. He never physically beat her but his words would cut her like a knife, and hurt just as much, if not worse then any physical beating he could have doled out. When She had told him she was pregnant, he had exploded. She remembered it like it was yesterday. He had thrown his whiskey bottle at her. It had missed, and after he sobered up, he had apologized. He had said he had just been worried about having to support another person. Margaret had thought quietly to herself, if he would only stop drinking he could actually go out and find a job. She didn't dare say it out loud though.

But what did all that matter now? His drinking had gotten worse and worse over the months. When he had stormed out the door, she had cried after him. Pleading with him to come back. But he had never even looked back. He was gone now, and Margaret was alone, living in hope that he would someday come back.

It was almost a sickness, they way she continued to hope the abusive man would return. Years had passed, and the baby girl that was supposed to die was now 4. She had the dark hair of her father, and her mother's pretty face and eyes. Margaret had started to go by Maggie, and lived in a brothel in the dingier part of Manhattan. She had promised to take care of her Leah, and she was determined to do so. With her stunning looks, she was in high demand with the men, and with the business she brought to the brothel, the owner, Madame DeLou had allowed her to keep Leah with her, as long as she was quiet and didn't disturb the customers.

And that was how Leah's life started.

"Leah, sweetheart, come along now, we don't have time to be dilly-dallying."

"Yes, Mama," Leah answered, gently being tugged along by her mother. Leah was excited. Today was her eighth birthday, and Mama said she had a surprise for her.

They hurried down the busy streets, returning to the neglected brownstone they called home. They were getting close, and Leah could see its roof jutting into the sky. She had never liked the building. It was dirty and frequented by filthy people, greasy men looking for a good time, some ending up in her Mama's bed. She wasn't supposed to know about them, and she didn't fully understand why they were there, but she despised them all the same. They were mean, and used foul language, most were fat, and ugly, and even the good looking ones had such foul, greedy looks on their faces, it was hard to tell they were attractive at all.

But Leah wasn't worried about all that, not today. Today was her day. October the tenth, the only day of the year besides Christmas, when she had Mama all to herself. She loved those days, when it was almost like life was normal. She knew the life she and Mama led wasn't normal. She heard the names the other kids called them, when they didn't think she was listening, some of the crueler kids had actually said them to her face. Leah never said anything back. She would just look at them with her steady blue eyes, until they looked away.

But none of that mattered today, Today was different. Today Mama had gotten out of bed at the break of dawn. She hadn't laid there for hours weeping, or drinking, or both. She had gotten up, and helped Leah get ready, telling her of the surprise.

First, she had taken Leah out to breakfast, at a diner a few blocks away. Leah had eaten as much as she wanted, until her belly was full, and she couldn't eat another bite. And now was the time for the surprise. They reached the brownstone, and walked quickly up the stairs, avoiding the main rooms where men waited for their turn at pleasure.

Reaching the room, Leah could hardly stand it anymore, she was so excited. "What is it, Mama? What's the surprise?"

"Here you are, doll. A present just for you."

Mama handed her a small box wrapped in brown paper. Leah excitedly ripped the paper off. She opened the small white box, and gasped when she saw what was inside. "Oh, Mama, it's beautiful!" She lifted a slender gold chain out of the box, dangling from it was a gold, heart shaped locket, with a rose, just beginning to bloom engraved onto it. Leah looked up at Mama, eyes shining, "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"Here, let me show you how it works." Mama took the locket and pressed her thumbnail into the tiny crack. She handed it back to Leah, revealing the picture inside. It was a tiny photograph of Mama, next to a handsome man.

"Mama, who is that?"

Her eyes shined with unshead tears as she answered. "That's your papa. He was a fine man. But he had to go away."

"My papa? But where did he go?"

"If only I knew, Sweetheart… If only I knew."

Leah wondered about her father off and on for the next few years. He was a great mystery to her, and she tended to judge him by her knowledge of the men who came to the old brownstone to see her mother. All she knew of him was that when he was needed most, he left. And as far as she was concerned, that was all she needed to know, to despise him. A week after she turned fourteen her thoughts turned to that of a much more urgent matter. Her mother was sick.

In June she had been complaining of a fever, and had been sick a few times. Leah hadn't thought anything of it, and it had passed, after a week or so. But when October rolled around, She knew there was something wrong. Her mother was constantly tired, begging the Madame for time off, so she could sleep. She stopped getting out of bed completely, and lost so much weight, Leah began to beg her to eat.

Leah had just left the kitchen, after returning to the cook the bowl of uneaten porridge she had attempted to coax her mother into eating. She trudged back up the stairs, and felt the gaze of several people on her as she passed. The whole brothel was wondering what was happening to Maggie. She was well liked, and people had noticed when she had stopped coming out of her room. Leah had heard the whispers after she told the Madame that her mama wouldn't be seeing any more customers for a while. It was only the large amount of money Maggie usually brought in for the Madame that kept her from turning them both onto the streets.

Leah entered their room, and gasped at the sight of her mother. Pale, and covered in a film of sweat, she lay limp on the bed. She had coughed out blood onto her pillow case, and her breathing was ragged. "Mama!" Leah cried, rushing to her bedside, and falling to her knees, "Help!" She screamed, her throat dry, "Get the doctor! Somebody send for the doctor!"

Leah grasped her mothers hand, "Just hang in there mama, we'll get you help."

The door swung open, and several people looked in, staring open mouthed at the scene in front of them. Leah felt a surge of anger, quickly followed by desperation, as she yelled, "Filly, go fetch a doctor! Now! Please, go!" She yelled at a girl who had arrived at the brothel only weeks ago. Filly gave a doubtful look at the scene before her, then turned on her heel, and started down the hallway.

Leah turned back to her mama. Her breathing had turned even more ragged, and her eyes were closed. Leah wasn't sure if she was even conscious anymore.

It wasn't long before the doctor showed in the doorway, and told everyone to leave. "You too, little girl. I don't know what you're doing in a place like this, but you can't be in this room right now."

"Please, sir, it's my mama. Something's wrong with her." Leah said thickly through sobs that racked her whole body.

The doctor looked at her again, a sympathetic look crossing his features. "You'll have to wait outside, I'll tell you as soon as I know anything" He gently propelled Leah out the door, and closed it firmly behind her.

Leah paced for a while before some of the girls convinced her to go downstairs, and wait on one of the couches in the lobby. Some of the girls tried to comfort her, but the time passed in a fog for her, and she didn't respond to any of them.

After what seemed like hours, the doctor came down stairs. He quietly asked everyone else to leave the room, and knelt down in front of Leah. "You're mama is very sick," he said kindly. "She's having a hard time breathing." He stopped for a moment, before continuing, "I'm sorry, I don't think she'll make it much longer."

Leah could only stare dumbly at him. After a moment, he stood, and talked softly to someone that had been standing in the hallway. Leah dazedly recognized her as Bonnie, one of the women that had helped take care of her, when her mother was busy with a patron.

The next few days passed in a blur for Leah, she stayed by her mother's side, refusing to eat or drink, or even sleep.

The morning of the 17th dawned cold and rainy. Leah sat by her mother's bedside, clutching her hand, and speaking to her, trying to keep her mind off the pain. Her voice had gone hoarse an hour ago, but she kept speaking anyways, telling her anything she could think of, to keep her mama relaxed and happy. And then it happened. Maggie opened her eyes, and stared at her daughter.

"My beautiful Leah," She rasped out, "I love you more then you could ever know. And your father, he loves you too. Don't ever doubt that. Choose a better life for yourself, then what I have given you. You're a smart girl. You can do whatever you set your mind to. I love you." With those words Maggie, rasped out one more breath, then closed her eyes, and was at peace.

"Mama? No! MAMA!" Leah screamed out her name, over and over again, rocking back and forth on her heels. Her lack of sleep, and grief combined in a way that she didn't even notice when she was carried from the room, placed in a bed that was not her own, and covered with a thick blanket. She continued to whisper her mama's name, until finally, sweet sleep took over her exhausted body.


	2. Chapter One

_Chapter One_

Leah awoke to the sound of low voices, conversing across the small room.

"Well, what do we do with the girl then?" The first voice asked. Leah recognized it as Marabelle's. She was an older lady, who at one time had led the life of a prostitute. As the years had begun to catch up with her, she had become more of a manager, taking care of all of the dirty work for the Madame. She wasn't well liked by any of them, since most of the girls feared that one day; Marabelle would tell them to pack their bags.

"She's only 14! You can't just send her out on the streets!" Came the second voice. This belonged to Filly, a fairly standoffish person, who tended to come across as cold and reserved. She had arrived at the brothel recently and had become slightly attached to the young Leah.

"Well…" the other voice said thoughtfully, "She looks older then her age… we might be able to pass her off as 17, with a little rouge, and some lip color. If she wants she can stay but she must earn her way."

"Earn her way? Mara-"

"That's enough; I don't want to hear another word about it. You can tell her when she wakes up. If she decides to leave, the she needs to be out of here by tonight." With that, Leah heard a door slam shut.

Leah opened her eyes, and sat up. She gazed at Filly with wide eyes, wondering if she had heard right. Filly cleared her throat and took a seat in the wing-back chair that was positioned next to the bed. Her face was white and drawn, as she looked at the young girl lying in bed.

Leah sat quietly, disbelievingly waiting for Filly to tell her that she had misheard. That everything was alright. Maybe even that she had dreamed her mother's death, and now that she was awake, things would go back to the way they were.

Filly's usually stone cold look came to her face, and she sat rigidly straight in the chair. "Well." She cleared her throat, before going on. You have a choice. You can stay here and… work, for a living. Or. You can try to make your living on the streets." She paused for a moment, before looking Leah full in the eyes. "Please, Leah. This is no life for a little girl. Whether it's by choice or not. Don't stay here. I'll do all I can to help you. I've got some money saved up. It's yours. Find a better life then this. You can find work at a factory, I'm sure. Just don't stay here."

Leah looked at her with wide blue eyes. "Filly. I can't" Her voice cracked as she choked back a sob. "I can't live on my own. I have no home, I have no-"

Filly interrupted her, "This is no home either! Anything is better then this!"

"Then why do you stay?" Leah asked quietly.

Filly turned away, "That's none of your business. Just take the money and go." Filly reached under the mattress, and withdrew a small drawstring bag. Leah could hear the coins jingling around in it and felt the weight of the money in her palm. "But I-"

"GO! Before I change my mind, and take it back!"

Leah scrambled out of bed. She ran back to the room she had shared with her mother, and gathered her few belongings together, placing them into an extra blouse, and tying the sleeves together to make a bundle. She hurried out of the room, and paused only for a moment outside Filly's door. "Thank you." With that she was gone, down the stairs, and out the front door.

Leah didn't know how far she had run, but it felt like miles. She felt sharp bursts of pain in her sides, but continued running, her tired feet beating out a steady rhythm on the cobblestone street. SLAM! She ran straight into a boy. "Oof!" both of them tumbled to the ground, she dropping her bundle, and a stack of papers flying out of his arms.

"Hey! Watch it!" The boy said, snatching his cabby had off the ground, and stuffing it back onto his head.

"I'm, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. Really, here, let me help." She said stooping to pick up his papers for him.

The boy sighed impatiently, "Look, don't worry about it. I got it. Just watch where you're goin' next time, okay?"

"Yeah. I'm really sorry. Really."

"Racetrack!" Someone called from across the street, "Hey, would it kill you to be on time for once!"

"Sorry, Callie, I was unavoidably detained."

The girl called Callie laughed, and came across the street to join them. Leah continued to pick up her belongings, and stuff them back into her makeshift bundle.

"Hey kid, he botherin' you?"

"What? No- no, I ran into him… on accident."

"Am I botherin' her? Geeze, thanks, Callie, it's good to know I can count on you to take my side. She ran into me!"

Callie laughed again, at the mock look of hurt on Racetrack's face. "Yeah, yeah, you're not insulted, don't act like you are." She turned towards Leah, and handed her the comb that had fallen out of the bundle. "What's your name kid?"

"Leah."

"Yeah? You runnin' away from home?" Callie eyed the bundle and the lost look on Leah's face.

"No. Well, yes. Sort of."

"Well, which is it?" Racetrack asked.

"I dunno. Look, I'm sorry to bother you, I've got to go. Really."

"Whoa, hold you're horses. Do ya got a place to stay?"

"No."

"Well, ya do now, you can stay with me. At the lodging house." Callie said, "The name's Calliope, but most people call me Callie. This is Racetrack. One of my best friends. He's not nearly as scary as he looks." Racetrack snorted at that, but Callie continued, acting as if she hadn't heard. "Anyway, you look like you could use some help. At least come to the lodging house until you can figure out what you're gonna do. First night's free."

Leah stared at her for a minute, wondering what she should do. At last she gave in, figuring she had no other alternative. Callie and Racetrack seemed nice enough, anyways, and a night in a lodging house was better then a night in an alley. "Ok. I'll come."

"Great." Callie said, smiling warmly. "Right this way!"


	3. Chapter Two

_Chapter Two_

Leah followed the two newsies, as they called themselves back to their lodging house. It was only a few minutes away from where they had met, which she was very glad about. Her legs and chest were aching from too much running.

She vaguely heard Calliope explain that this was the girls lodging house. Race lived down the street a bit more, in the boys lodging house. Leah was led to a bed, and told that that was where she would be sleeping. As Callie explained that none of the other girls were there right then, they were all off working. "I'd better be off doing the same." Callie said, " Or I won't be able to eat tonight. We're going to be at Tibby's later, meet us there at around 6. It's Jack' birthday, and we're gonna celebrate. It's two blocks down on the left, ya can't miss it. See ya later!" And with that she was gone.

Leah couldn't help but feel lost. It seemed like she had withdrawn from her body, and it was just doing as it pleased. Everything was happening in a blur, her mother's death, being put out on the streets. She couldn't grasp it all. Not right now. The only thing she seemed to be able to control right now was her breathing. So that's all she did, she didn't think or move, she just sat on her small bunk. Existing.

She must have sat that way for hours. Her back was aching and her right leg had fallen asleep. She grimaced as she moved it, sending tiny pains up and down her leg. She jumped as the bunk room door slamed open, and two girls entered chatting animatedly.

"So I guess there's some new girl staying here now. Callie was telling me about her, said she doesn't talk much. I think her name is Lynn… or Leigh… something like that."

"Leah." Leah told them, causing them both to jump.

The girl who had been talking blushed deeply, embarrassed to be caught talking about someone, especially being caught by the person she had been talking about.

The other girl recovered quickly, "The name's Cheatah," she said thrusting her ink stained hand out. Leah regarded the stains for a moment before grasping it in a handshake. "That's Magpie." Cheatah said, after a moment of silence.

Magpie put out her hand as well, and Leah shook it. "Nice to meet you."

"Yeah… you too."

Just then Callie burst through the door. "Hey, Cheatah, Magpie… didja meet Leah?"

"Yeah," Cheatah said. "Ya just missed the introductions. We goin' over to Tibby's or what?"

"Course. We'll meet you over there."

Cheatah and Magpie nodded, before turning away and heading down the stairs.

Callie walked over to the bunk she would be sharing with Leah, and sat down next to the girl. "Hey, are you ok? You've been real quiet."

Leah smiled halfheartedly. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Look, I don't know your story. And that's the way it goes with a lot of street kids. But sometimes… sometimes it helps to get it all out." Callie shrugged, "Just something to think about."

Leah regarded Callie, her blue eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Thanks. I'll- I'll keep that in mind"

Callie smiled, her lighthearted smile returning to her face. "That's enough of being serious, let's go to Tibby's, Jack's birthday is always a big bash."

Leah nodded, getting up to her feet, her cramped legs protesting painfully. Together, she and Calliope left the lodging house and started down the street towards Tibby's.

They chatted a bit on the way, Leah slowly opening up to the friendly girl that seemed determined to be her friend.

"That's Tibby's up ahead." Callie said, pointing to a small diner a few doors down from where they were.

Leah stopped in her tracks when she saw it, memories flooding into her head. It was the same diner her mother had taken her too for her eighth birthday. She could remember it like it was yesterday. She had only been out to eat three times in her life. Once when she was five years old, shd lost her favorite doll, Annie, she had cried for three days, until her mother had taken her to a small restaurant on 52nd street to make her feel better. Once when she was six, she had broken her finger, when one of the windows in the deteriorated old brownstone had slammed down on it, he mother had taken her out then too. And the last time, for her eighth birthday.

She felt the tears well up in her eyes again, but this time she couldn't hold them back, they streamed down her face in twin rivers. That one memory had released a torrent of memories, from the last fourteen years. She absentmindedly fingered the small locket that still hung around her neck.

"Leah- Leah, are you ok?" Callie asked, looking at her, worriedly.

"I- I gotta go. I'm gonna go back to the lodging house."

"Ok… well, let me walk with you." Callie said, taking her arm.

"No. No, I just need to be alone, please, please, I just want to be alone."

Callie bit her lip, "Ok, well… do you know the way back?"

"Yeah. I'll be fine," Leah squeezed the words out through her tears, before turning on her heel, and running back towards the lodging house.


	4. Chapter Three

_K, I fixed most of the typos I think, thanks for pointing them out, elleestJenn. I write really late at night, and I tend to type fast, especcially when the creative juices really get flowing, and I want to get it all out, therefore, I make a lot of typos... Anyways, enjoy!_

_Chapter Three_

Somehow Leah found her way back to the lodging house though thick sobs racked her small frame. She shoved a lock of brown hair out of her face, as she swung open the main door, and flew up the stairs. She slammed into the empty bunkroom and threw herself onto her bed. She lay there, sobbing heavily into the old pillowcase, finally allowing her tears to fall freely. She cried until she had no more tears to cry, then she sat up on her bunk, leaning her back against the wall. She pulled her knees up to her chin, and encircled them with her arms. Sitting there, she finally allowed the torrent of old feelings, and her grief to come upon her. She sat quietly, remembering, and thinking also of the future. She didn't know what lie ahead of her. Leah had never been so uncertain in her life. She was smart, but not about the streets. She new how her mother had made it, but she would never turn to that life, not even if she was close to death. She sat chewing her lip, her eyes red rimmed from crying, her face streaked in tear stains. She was hopeless.

Leah finally pushed herself up from the bunk, and made her way into the washroom. She pumped herself some water, and then splashed it onto her face, washing away the evidence of crying. She stood, staring at the mirror, with water dripping off her face, her eyes still bloodshot. "I will make it." She fiercely told her reflection. "I will survive this." Squaring her shoulders with new resolve, she turned back to the bunkroom. She eyed her bed for a moment, then turned towards the window with the rusty black fire escape. Climbing out she climbed the stairs all the way to the roof of the building, and sat on the waist high brick ledge, sitting sideways, she pulled her feet up with her, and again rested her chin on her knees. She thoughtfully studied the New York skyline.

Leah turned her head when she heard feet climbing the fire escape. She smiled when she saw Callie coming up.

"I thought you might be up here." Callie said, reaching the other girl, "Mind if I join you?" She asked with a tentative look in her blue eyes.

Leah shrugged offering her a slight smile.

"I come up here a lot," Callie said sitting down with her back to the ledge, and her legs stretched out in front of her. She took her brown cap off, and allowed a thick main of curly dark blonde hair to fall out. "To think… Or just to get away from the other girls for a little bit."

Leah nodded, and cleared her throat to speak, "Sorry I ran off like that earlier," She said studying the setting sun.

"Don't worry. Sometimes a girl needs some alone time… Would you like to talk about it."

Leah shrugged, starting off tentatively, "My Mama, she was a… employee… of Madame DeLou, who owns the brothel down on 39th."

"Yeah, I've heard of the place. One of the girls, Salt, we called her, she was a newsie, before she went to work for DeLou. Maybe you know her, Annabelle Fowlers?"

"I've seen her around. She wasn't one for talking much, and I pretty much just stayed out of the way. Anyways, we lived at the brothel, Mama and me, since I was 4 years old. But something happened. My mama took sick. I don't know what she had." Leah stopped for a moment, watching the last of the reddish clouds fade into twilight, and swallowing hard to keep the lump in her throught down. "But, she's gone now, and here I am. With no way to take care of myself and no family to call my own." She fiddled with her locket, running it back and forth on the chain.

"What's that?" Callie asked.

"Mama gave it to me, for my eighth birthday, it's a locket." Leah opened the little gold heart and held it out so Callie could see the picture, "That's my mama."

"Is that man your father?"

Leah pulled the locket back and stared at the man in the picture.

"Yeah"

"What happened to him?"

"He left. I've never met him, he was gone before I was born. Mama says he was a good man." Leah gritted her teeth before continuing, "But no man who could have left a lady like my mama could have been good. He just left, and she had to fend for herself, and look at what became of her. I love my Mama, but I don't want to become like her. I'd die first."

Callie and Leah sat in silence for a while, watching the city of New York go to sleep.

"Well," Callie said finally, "We'd better turn in. We've got to get up early tomorrow."

"Why?" Leah asked, giving her a questioning look.

"We've got papers to sell! You don't think I'm gonna let you go poor do you?"

Early turned out to be a lot earlier then Leah expected. Callie shook her awake, and groggily she sat up. She could see Ghost and Magpie getting ready across the room, and a few forms were still sleeping in their bunks.

"Shouldn't we wake them up?" Leah questioned as they were leaving the bunkroom.

"Nah, they're not newsies. Some are dancer's over at Irving Hall, Medda's place, and some work in the factories."

"Oh." Leah was to tired to put another rational sentence together.

They walked in silence for a while, before they reached a building gated off, with a crowd of boys surrounding it. Leah could also see a few girls there, but they were few and far between.

A boy who looked to be about 16 grinned when he saw them coming, he had blondish brown hair, and an eye patch covering one of his blue-grey eyes. "Hey Calliope," He said greeting Callie with a kiss. "Who's you're friend?"

"This is Leah, she's new today, I'm just showing her the ropes. Leah, this is my boyfriend, Kid Blink."

"Hi." Leah said shortly, her mistrust of all things male centered deep in her being. She bit her lip when she saw the surprised look on Callie's face, and gave Kid Blink a tight smile.

He seemed unaware of the tense moment, as the gates to the building swung open, and a great surge of bodies moved forward, forming some semblance of a line to buy their papers. Leah followed Callie through the line. When it came to be her turn, she placed a nickel on the counter, and asked the old man for ten papers.

"Only ten?" Callie asked.

Leah shrugged, "Yeah, I guess."

Callie smiled, "Well maybe it's better for the first day, just so you can get the hang of things."

They walked together down the street, Callie occasionally calling out thrilling headlines. Leah timidly would shout one out every once in a while, but none were quite as imaginative then the ones Callie was coming up with.

Just then a small boy, only about 8 years old came up to her, and tugged gently on her skirt, "Miss, my papa wants a paper. He gave me this." Proudly the boy held up a copper penny. Leah smiled down at the boy before taking the penny, and exchanging it for one of the papers she held under her arm. She continued to grin watching the small boy run down the road towards a tall man standing next to a handsome carriage. "Well, that wasn't so hard. One down, nine to go."

Three hours later, Leah stood exhausted, her feet aching, and only 2 papers short of her original ten. She sighed in relief as she saw Callie come towards her from where she had been selling, half a block away. "Hey, you about ready for lunch? How many do you have left?"

Leah smiled sheepishly, "Uh… I don't know, a few."

"A few?" Callie reached over and counted the remaining papers, "You have eight left? You only sold two!" Callie fought the urge to laugh, "Oh, don't worry, you'll get better, it was you're first try. C'mon, let's go get lunch, I'm buying." They headed back to the lodging house, where lunch was served for only 2 cents a plate, it was meager, but enough to satisfy the girls until dinner, which would be bought in the same way.

"I don't know Callie," Leah said later that night as the two girls prepared for bed, "I don't think I'm cut out to do this kind of thing."

Callie opened her mouth to protest, then shut it again. She grinned at her, "No, maybe not. Don't worry, You'll figure something out."

Leah sighed, laying down and staring up at the bottom of the bunk Callie had just crawled into. "Good night."

"Good night. Don't worry."

Leah had to smile, Callie already knew her pretty well, and they had only just met. Maybe things would turn out all right after all. Rolling onto her side, she fell into an exhausted, dreamless sleep.


	5. Chapter Four

_Chapter Four_

Leah awoke early the next morning, getting ready with the girls who would be selling papers.

"You selling with us again today?" Magpie asked, as she and Ghost passes on their way out the door.

"Not a chance." Leah replied with a dry but amused laugh. "I'll go broke trying to sell newspapers."

"So what are you going to do?" Callie asked, listening to the girls footsteps on the stairs.

"Leah shrugged, I don't know, I gotta figure something out. I guess I'll look for a job." Leah answered, pulling her hair up into a knot, and grimacing at how greasy it was becoming. She was in desperate need of a bath.

"Well, good luck." Callie said, straightening her skirt, "I'll see you back here for lunch?"

"Yeah, see you later." Leah spent a few more minutes in front of the mirror before turning to go. She left the lodging house and turned down the street, not really paying attention to where she was going. She ran her choices through her mind, factory worker… or factory worker. "Well, at least I know where to start." She muttered to herself, still absentmindedly walking. "Oof!"

"Ow! Hey, watch- Leah? Is that you? You gotta quit runnin into people like that, it's not healthy."

"Racetrack! I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going"

"Yeah, I can tell." Race said, stooping to pick up the papers he had dropped. "Are you selling today?"

"Nah, sellings not for me."

"So what are ya gonna do?"

Leah shrugged, squinting in the bright sunlight. "I dunno. Something. There's gotta be something I can do to earn a little money."

"You should try down on 42nd. There's a lot of factories on that block… or… you know, I just passed a milliner's shop, there was a sign in the window about wanting help. Maybe you could try that."

"Yeah, thanks. I will. Good luck selling today."

Race smiled, "Thanks, try to look up when you walk, you'd hit less people"

Leah laughed, turning down the street in the direction Race had indicated. She kept her attention on where she was going this time, scanning the windows, and sure enough, halfway down the street a sign in the window of a milliner's shop advertised their need for help. Leah smoothed her hair down before pushing the door open and going in.

The bell above the door jingled, announcing her entrance. Leah looked around her, hats of all kinds lined the walls, extravagant colors, with many flowers and ribbons adorned the front, while the more sensible hats and bonnets were kept towards the back of the shop.

A short robust woman with rosy cheeks came from the back of the shop, with a handful of hats.

"Hello, dear, can I help you find something?" She asked, with a distinctive Scottish accent. She had a halo of red curls, and clear blue eyes, that twinkled in good humor.

Leah smiled at her nervously, "No ma'am, I saw the sign in the window, and I was wondering if you still needed help."

"Well, yes, dear, we do. Do you have any experience?"

Leah looked down, biting her lip, "No, ma'am, but I can learn real quick if you only give me the chance."

The woman looked at her for a minute, seeming to measure her up, "Very well then, can you start today?"

"Yes, ma'am"

"And that's enough of that ma'am stuff. You can call me Becky." She said with a smile. "And what might you're name be, Lass?"

Leah smiled back, "Leah."

"Leah, what a lovely name. And a Bible name at that. The other lass that works here is named Rachel, sweet lass, a bit shy. OH! Imagine that, a Leah and Rachel working together, with me, a Rebekah!"(AN: Leah and Rachel are sisters in the Bible, Jacob, was in love with Rachel, but was tricked by her father to marry Leah first. He did eventually marry Rachel, but had to work a total of 14 years for her father's permission… Rebekah was Jacob's mother.)

Leah smiled at her again, wondering what she was talking about.

"Well, come along to the back then, we'll get you started" She led the younger girl to the back of the little shop, and showed her the table where she would be working. "And this is Rachel," She said, indicating a young girl about Leah's age.

The girl looked up and blushed, before whispering a faint "Hello" and bowing her head before her work again.

"She'll show you all you need to know. I'm going to head upstairs. There's an apartment up there, where I live with my husband, John and my children. Oh, they're darling lads, you'll meet them later on, when they return from work at the factory."

Leah smiled at the bubbly woman, as she turned and mounted the stairs in the corner of the room. Then she looked at Rachel, as the quiet girl showed her how to fold bits of ribbon, and manipulate pieces of silk into pretty roses.

After several hours of work, Becky came from where she had been working in the front of the store, and smiled at the girls. "Alright dears, you can take a break for lunch."

Leah got up from where she had been sitting, and stretched her back, "When should I be back?"

"Would an hour be enough time for you to eat and get back here?"

"Yes, ma'am, thank you." Leah said, turning and going out the door.

"What did I tell you about that ma'am stuff, it's Becky."

Leah grinned over her shoulder at her, then was out the front door, and down the street, walking as fast as she could towards to lodging house.

"Callie!" She exclaimed when she burst through the front door, finding Callie standing in the lobby, talking with Kid Blink, Racetrack, and another newsie Leah didn't know. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt."

"Nah, don't worry about it, we was just talkin'" Said the third newsie, "Da name's Jack Kelly, and who might you be?"

Leah cleared her throught regarding this boy carefully. He was tall, with dirty brown hair, and brown eyes. A red handkerchief was carelessly tied around his neck, and a black cowboy had hung from a string down his back. Leah generally didn't like those of the male sex, and this one looked awfully smug. "Leah. I just- I just moved here."

"What were you so excited about?" Callie asked, bringing Leah back to what she had come bursting in the door for.

"OH! I got a job, down at the milliner's shop! Becky-That's the owner- she's gonna pay me six dollars a week!"

"That's great!" Racetrack said.

"Well I owe it all to you!" Leah said, beaming at Race.

"Are you all hungry?" Blink asked, reminding them all what they were even at the lodging house for.

"Let's go to Tibby's, to celebrate" Callie said, smiling warmly at Leah.

Leah pulled back, remembering the flood of memories that had washed over her last time she had seen that resturaunt. She bit her lip, thinking to herself, _I'll always have memories of mama, no matter where I go, or what I do. I can't stop living my life because of it. _"That sounds great." She said aloud, returning Callie's smile. Together the five of them walked to Tibby's. Several newsies joined them along the way, always looking for a good excuse to eat at Tibby's, whether it put more of a strain on their small wallets or not.


End file.
